sick

Tuesday morning when I woke up, I wasn't feeling very good.  Caden had felt sick for a couple of days the week before, and hadn't had an appetite, but it had never really amounted to anything, so I figured that I probably had the same thing.  Since I didn't think it was going to be a very big deal, I kept cleaning and going about my regular day, but little by little I felt worse and worse...and worse.  It wasn't long before the little boys found me lying on the couch, and there I remained until I had to pick up the kids from school to take them to their piano lessons. Having to sit up and drive made me think for a moment, "Maybe  I should cancel their lessons.  This is really miserable." But then I thought, "This sickness isn't a big deal.  I will be just fine." And I was - right up to the moment that Kami and Caden climbed into the car.  I said a feeble hello, and then something suddenly hit and as they climbed in one side of the car, I opened the door on the other side and was sick on the parking lot.  The kids and I were all pretty surprised! (I think I embarrassed the kids a little bit, too, because their peers were walking by as this was going on - luckily none of their friends!!) We started seeing the humor in it as Caden began describing the shocked faces of the kids who turned around and then kept turning around and turning around again when they saw what I was doing.

I had the flu all week, and it was an interesting experience.  When my kids were younger, I got really sick one time, and I remember feeling like it was so unfair for a mother to ever get sick, because even though I was more sick than I could ever remember feeling, I still had to stay on my feet, feeling completely miserable, and take care of the little kids.  I still had to get them drinks of water and change diapers and make lunches and help them wash their hands.  Things that sound small, but are so big when you're under the weather.

Well this time, when we got home from piano, the kids told me to go lay down and then they took care of everything. (Shawn had left town that morning to be gone for the rest of the week.) Caden called someone to give him a ride to scouts - without me saying a word about it.  Kami called her YW advisor and told her that she wouldn't be coming to mutual because she was going to stay home and take care of her mom.  Maddie started making something for dinner, under Kami's supervision, while Kami whisked through the house putting piles of laundry away and cleaning up after the little boys.  At one point, Maddie took something up to the bonus room where Isabelle and the little boys were playing, and I heard her say, "Isabelle, it would be really nice if you'd tidy up in here. You don't have to, but it would be really nice." The girls fed everyone and got everyone to bed and I found myself thinking that it was practically a pleasure to be sick nowadays, because I could actually be sick! It wasn't very wonderful while they were at school each day, but it was such a relief when they'd get home.

This is completely off the subject, but is something that  I spent a lot of time looking at during the week, as it is right across from the couch.   I made these silhouettes about a month ago and I am still so excited about them!
I especially like looking at the little boys.  You can't see it, but Nolan has hair sticking up and I love Abram's chubby cheeks.

Our second snowstorm of the year, but the first that looks like it will stick, came Friday night. The kids were outside enjoying it before it was even fully light outside:

And I need to include this picture of Shawn.  This is how you garden when you live in Idaho AND when you have to travel so much that you miss all of the good gardening weather:)